Love, hate and everything in between

~Chapter 17~

As I woke up the next morning I put my makeup on and fixed my hair. As I pulled out the jeans, Troy bursted into my room.

"Sure, come on in." I said annoyed.

"Gladly will. Put this on." He replied throwing me a maids dress. I held the dress up to me.

"What is this?"

"Your maids dress. Change and start your work."

He walked out and I disgustedly eyed the dress.

"You've got to be kidding me?" I mumbled to myself.

***********************************************

10 minutes later I was walking down the stairs in the sluttiest dress I have ever worn in my life. The sleeves hung off my shoulders and the tight upper part squeezed my boobs in a quite uncomfortable manner. Troy turned his attention to me almost immediately when he saw me. I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. He followed me into the kitchen and tangled his arm around my lower waist. I pushed his arm away and turned facing him.

"You kidnap me, kill my husband, make me adopt a child, and then put me in this skanky outfit! Don't think you're getting some!"

"Don't try telling me what I'm getting and what I'm not!"

"I'm already cleaning up you and Marks crap! Thinking I'm suddenly going to sleep with you isn't happening!"

"Who said it was your choice?"

"Oh, okay. So you're just going to rape me like you did Vanessa?"

"I did not-"

"Yeah, Troy. You did. She's pregnant. And now you're a father when you don't even care."

"I'd watch your attitude or I'll get Jennifer or Penelope to be the next maid down here!"

"It's Gabriella! And you aren't putting her through the hell you've put me through!"

"Then watch your mouth, Cassidy."

"I wouldn't have to watch it if you weren't such a dumb ass."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, babe."

I smirked at him and continued cleaning the dishes while Troy left in the car. As I finished the dishes I made me and Gabriella a peanut butter sandwich.

"Gabby, hunny. Lunch is done." I said knocking on her door. She hopped from her bed and followed me down to the kitchen. I helped her onto the stool and slid the plate over to her.

"Isn't there a man who lives here?" Gabby asks taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Yes." I reply. "2 actually."

"Is one my daddy?"

I freeze and put down my sandwich. I stand up and go over to the fridge getting out the milk carton.

"No, sweetie. Your daddy doesn't live here." I finally say pouring milk in a small cup for her.

"Where is he?"

"He..umm..he lives in California."

"Why don't we live with daddy? Did you get in a fight?"

Oh god, don't I wish we got in a fight. Then at least he could come for me. But that wasn't the case.

"It's a complicated story, hunny. You probably wouldn't understand."

"I could try.

I blinked away my tears and smiled at her. James would love her. We always talked about adopting. I wish he could see her. I wish she knew what a wonderful man he was. She would finally have a complete family.

"Well, we're just waiting for daddy to come get us." I said nodding. She looked at me funny, but nodded her head and continued eating. I had now lost my appetite and decided to just keep working.

"Do you need any help, mommy?" Gabriella asked hopping from her stool and walking over to me.

"I don't think so, sweetie. Why don't you go back upstairs?"

"Is the mean man with the loud voice going to be home soon?"

Her question caught me off guard and I had to think of a response before I answered. I didn't want her to be afraid of him, but how could you not?

"Probably." I whispered. She nodded and walked herself upstairs. What have I got her into?

••James' POV••

"Right now the only thing to do is wait." The officer told me. I put my head in my hands.

"I've been waiting for a week and a half. Nobodies doing anything!" I said shaking my head.

"Sir, we're doing everything we can."

I shook my head and shut the door. No, they aren't doing everything they can. They just get tired of looking and decide it's best if they just call her dead and move on. Most of the time, people aren't. People just become forgotten and soon they die with nobody even remembering them. That isn't the case with Brooke. Sooner or later the police will announce her "dead" and I'll be the one going out there again. Probably getting hunted down by someone trying to stop me and tell me the cons, but no pros, of this situation. Isn't that how it always is? Exactly. The phone began ringing and I walked annoyingly to the kitchen, answering the phone.

"Hello?" I echoed into the phone.

"Hello. This is the woman at Falcon Orphanage in North Carolina." The woman sounded older. Maybe late 50's or early 60's. I honestly had no idea what she was talking about.

"This is Brooke's number, correct?"

What?! One, no. It's not her number it's MY number. And two. An orphanage?! In North Carolina?

"A Brooke Cassidy?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes, sir. Are you her husband?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Great. I have Gabriella's certificate here. If you'd like me to mail it?"

"That'd be fantastic. Thank you very much."

I give her my own address and wait for her to ask why the address is in California. But she doesn't. She thanks me and hangs up. A huge door just opened up for me. I just found out more information in 10 minutes than the cops have in almost two freaking weeks! Thank God Brooke was smart enough to give them my number. She knew they'd call and tell me where it was. It was every obvious clue that Troy will never figure out.

***********************************************

"So, that means you have a kid?!" Carlos asks as I tell the guys about the phone call.

"I guess so. I'm not really sure. I have to get this certificate. If Brooke put the last name under Maslow, then yes." I reply.

"That's good news, right?" Logan asks.

"Of course. I just..don't want that sleeze around her. Around either of them."

"Knowing Troy, he'll give the girl about as much attention as he did your bullet wound. None." Kendall chimed in.

"Lord, I hope."

•Ayyye. Thank you guys for getting me to 2K reads on this story. Pretty sure "Starting to love you" just reached 35K! That's insane! Much love to all of you who vote and comment and read.<3

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